Entertainment
Barry Sanders Reveals Major Health Scare: ‘I Couldn’t Believe It’
Former NFL legend Barry Sanders finally broke his silence about the health scare he suffered last year, and it’s much more serious than originally thought. According to Sanders, he experienced a heart attack during a recruiting trip for one of his sons.
The popular running back shared a post in June 2024 on his social media accounts saying he was recovering after an “unexpected” health scare in relation to his heart, which happened over Father’s Day weekend.
“I couldn’t believe it, honestly,” Sanders, 56, said during an interview with CBS Sports published on Friday, June 13. “I thought it was like heartburn, but it just kind of persisted.”
Sanders told the outlet that he woke up the morning of the incident with a burning feeling inside his chest. As a result of the persisting discomfort, he decided to leave the recruiting event and went to the emergency room.
After undergoing a series of tests, it was discovered he had experienced a heart attack.
“Of all things, I don’t know why, that just never entered my mind,” the father of four said during the interview. “I’m learning through this process that there aren’t necessarily any warning signs, unless you do what we’re encouraging people to do, which is to go to the doctor, get tested for LDL-C levels, or bad cholesterol.”
“That’s the only way to find out if you have high cholesterol. It’s not something you’re going to be able to feel. You don’t have to fit a certain physical profile,” he continued.
Sanders says he’s now on a mission to educate other people by taking part in “The Making of a Heart Attack,” which is a documentary film that will feature a small group discussion comprised of survivors of both heart attack and strokes. The program will air on A&E on Saturday, June 14.
“It’s really been an education for me, learning about how frequent this happens all over the U.S.,” Sanders said to CBS Sports.
He then said that following his heart attack, his doctor recommended taking medication, dietary changes, and extra walking to improve health.
“Being the kind of athlete that I was, I would see people walking and I would wonder, like, ‘What kind of workout is that?’ But there’s a thing called a heart-healthy workout, where you’re just getting your heart rate up a little bit over a certain period of time, and that’s just really good for your heart,” Sanders explained. “There was just a certain ignorance that I had about things like that. But all of it has been a learning process.”
Later in the interview, Sanders made it clear there’s no such thing as a one-size-fits-all health program, however, he encourages folks to consult with medical professionals to develop a plan that works for you.
“Sometimes it’s hereditary and it’s not like you’re doing anything wrong,” Sanders continued. “There’s a lot of different stories and examples out there. That’s why it’s important for people to have that conversation with their doctor.”
